No New Positive COVID-19 Cases Reported in Queensland

Just 84 active cases stand between Queensland and a clean COVID-19 slate after no new positive tests were announced on Thursday,

The fourth day of zero cases recorded in the Sunshine State comes as the residents eagerly await the easing of lockdown restrictions.

“This is fantastic news and continues that very positive trend,” Health Minister Steven Miles said.

“In the last seven days, we have had just eight new cases of COVID-19, that number would have been hard to believe just a few weeks ago.”

Eleven people remain in hospital with six being treated in intensive care.

Queensland’s tally remains firm at 1033 confirmed cases from more than 108,000 tests.

Six Queenslanders have died from coronavirus and 943 patients have recovered.

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The announcement is welcome news ahead of plans to lift some restrictions this weekend, allowing people to travel further and go shopping for clothes and shoes as long as they practise social distancing.

From midnight Friday, effectively Saturday morning, parks and picnic grounds will be among the key destinations for many who have endured weeks of stay-at-home restrictions.

The only proviso is that residents can only mingle with members of their household and those who are single can hang out with one other person.

People are restricted to travelling no further than 50km from their residential address.

It comes as thousands of fruit and vegetable pickers who are part of the annual pilgrimage to country Queensland are told they will have to factor two weeks of isolation into their plans.

Workers will have to apply for a permit and have approved accommodation and confirmation of work before they can proceed in a bid to protect the regions from the pandemic.

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Backpackers traditionally make up 70 per cent of the harvest workforce.